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i
Using both scientific and feminist approaches in its analysis, Sex and Gender: A Biopsychological
Approach provides a current and comprehensive understanding of its titular topics, making it an
invaluable textbook for instructors and students.
Sex and gender can only be properly understood when examined in the contexts of bio-
logical, psychological, and social processes and the interactions between those processes. The
structure of this book facilitates this necessary exhaustive discussion:
• First section: a biological analysis that discusses evolutionary, cellular, and genetic processes,
and their effects on physical and behavioral development
• Second section: a psychological and sociological analysis that discusses stereotypes, sexism,
and theories of gender
• Final section: a discussion of the current global challenges surrounding sex and gender, such
as discrimination and religious and social oppression of various groups
• Across chapters: bonus features that can be used as discussion topics, student essay topics, or
special topics for instructors to expand the text’s discussion into the classroom
The text’s unique focus on biological, psychological, and social processes — as separate entities
and interacting processes — makes Sex and Gender crucial for a comprehensive and advanced
understanding of the subject. This is an essential resource for instructors who want to bring a
thorough and complex analysis of sex and gender studies to their classrooms.
Heidi R. Riggio is Professor of Psychology at Cal State LA. She has been teaching in Southern
California since 1996. She is a social psychologist with published research on sibling relation-
ships, parental marital conflict and divorce, relationship attitudes and their strength, sexual
health, religiosity and cognitive biases, and political attitudes.
ii
iii
Heidi R. Riggio
iv
CONTENTS
Preface ix
Acknowledgements xi
1 Human Evolution 1
3 Genetics 39
5 Gender Stereotypes 82
11 Aggression 344
Index 459
viii
ix
PREFACE
When I first started teaching at Cal State LA (I won’t reveal how long ago that was), I was asked
to teach a course called Sex & Gender. This course was unique for me, for a few reasons. First,
the course was an upper-division general education course, with students required to complete
three courses outside their major. Cal State LA’s upper-division general education was at that
time coordinated around so-called “themes,” with this course included in Theme C, “Sex in the
Diversity of Human Experience.” So while the course served as an upper-division elective in
Psychology for Psychology students, it was also open to all majors, with students from many
different majors taking the course. Second, the course was cross-listed with Biology, with the
course occasionally being taught by Biology faculty. As such, it had substantial biology content,
which had apparently been standardized across instructors because the course was a general
education course (with specific required student learning outcomes). Third, the course was also
unique to me because I had never taught such a course; my teaching up to that point had cen-
tered around Critical Thinking, Social Psychology, Statistics, Introduction to Psychology, and
various Management/Organizational Psychology courses. I did not consider myself an expert in
biological psychology. When I was asked to teach Sex & Gender, I was initially hesitant for all of
the reasons just listed. I preferred Psychology students and teaching within the major, which felt
somehow safer. Although I had very much enjoyed Biology courses as an undergraduate student,
I did not consider myself an expert in human biology. And, preparing a new course? Who needs
that extra work?
At the same time, I felt challenged. The only person in the Department who had taught the
course previously was retiring; my Department needed me! I could expand my teaching experi-
ence, expand my own knowledge, show my Department what I was made of, and learn some new
stuff. I was also a social psychologist and feminist who was fascinated with and passionate about
issues associated with sexual health and the social-psychological construction of gender. I was
further challenged when I accepted the course and the chair of the Biology Department emailed,
inquiring as to my abilities to properly teach the course. As a junior faculty member, I was chal-
lenged again to prove myself, by my senior colleagues.
Teaching the course for the first time was challenging, to say the least. Two books for the
course were required; a slim volume on human reproductive biology, and a larger, more expan-
sive textbook focusing on gender from a psychological perspective. The first half of the course
focused entirely on biology, starting with evolution and genetics, up to human reproduction and
pregnancy. I learned right along with the students that first term, and I’ve been learning more
x
x Preface
and more ever since in an attempt to become as expert as possible on the first half of this course.
The second half of the course was much less but still challenging, as I expanded my knowledge
of human sexuality, sexual health and rights, gender differences in behavior, and historical and
modern inequalities around the world. As I continued to teach the course over time, it became a
favorite course to teach. However, over time, I and the students became increasingly frustrated
over the necessity of two texts, and I decided one comprehensive textbook would be a useful tool
in teaching and learning about sex and gender.
I approached writing this book with a fascination for understanding human evolution and
behavior, and a passion for the importance of gender equality, gender freedom, and sexual health
and happiness. I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Heidi R. Riggio
Department of Psychology
California State University, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA 90032 USA
December 12, 2019
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xi
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank my colleagues and friends within Psychology for their superlative support,
kindness, and encouragement over the years. I would like to thank my wonderful students for
their continuing hard work and sharing their talents with me. I would like to thank my daughter,
Clara, for her support and encouragement in everything, including writing every word of this
book. Thank you to my nephew Sam and my niece Sadie for giving me more good reasons for
everything I do. Special thanks to my friend Dr. Brigitte Matthies for her constant presence as a
friend who understands me; and Dr. Brian Johnson for his helping me understand myself. Lots of
love and gratitude, I am truly blessed by the people in my life.
xii
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1 Human Evolution
2 Human Evolution
LEARN MORE
Orrorin tugenensis
Ardipithecus ramidus
Australopithecus anamensis
Kenyanthropus platyops
Australopithecus garhi
Australopithecus sediba
Australopithecus aethiopicus
Australopithecus robustus
Australopithecus boisei
Homo georgicus
Homo ergaster
Homo sapiens idaltu
CRITICAL THINKING
1. If Humans Came from Apes, Why Aren’t Apes Evolving into Humans?
Human beings and apes evolved from a common ancestor about six to seven million years
ago. Apes are our cousins; we did not evolve from them.
2. There Are Too Many Gaps in the Fossil Record for Evolution to Be True
There are of course gaps in the fossil record; fossils have only been systematically col-
lected for about 200 years. In addition, accurately describing fossil finds takes time. Many
intermediate fossils exist, including interesting creatures like the Tiktaalik, intermediate
between fish and amphibians. Multiple intermediate forms in the evolution of humans have
also been found. As more discoveries are made, the progression of evolution becomes
clearer.
3. If Evolution Happened Gradually over Millions of Years, Why Doesn’t the Fossil Record
Show Gradual Change?
3
Human Evolution 3
Most successful species live for relatively long periods of time. The history of life shows
long periods of stability with little change, with speciational change happening rather rap-
idly. The equilibrium of life is thus punctuated by bursts of change.
This is first an appeal to ignorance, a poor argument tactic. Secondly, if there are no
witnesses to an event, that doesn’t mean people cannot figure out what happened. For
example, accident reconstruction specialists determine what happened in traffic accidents
based on evidence at the scene. Crime scene specialists and law enforcement experts rec-
reate crimes, including sequences of events, causes of injuries, even the mindset of per-
petrators. Understanding something from evidence left behind is reasonable and logical;
eyewitnesses are not necessary (and sometimes not all that accurate; Loftus & Palmer,
1996). Finally, independent observations and evidence from every branch of science sup-
port that evolution is a fact. Strong, consistent, and continuing convergence of evidence
strongly supports that evolution is indeed the process by which life evolved on our planet.
This argument is completely false. Natural selection is not random at all; rather, survival is
determined by individual qualities that enhance ability to survive and reproduce in a par-
ticular environment. There is nothing random about that.
6. Only an Intelligent Designer Could Have Made Something as Complex as an Eye (or
Whatever)
Eyes are actually not well put together. They are in fact upside down and backwards. Among
human beings, about 75% require some vision correction (Vision Council of America, 2017).
The structure and function of eyes across species is very well understood from an evolu-
tionary perspective, with initial primitive light-sensing cells the precursors to similarly-
structured eyes across many different species.
This is also a poor argument tactic called a straw person, where a solid argument is
changed into something easily knocked down (“only” a theory). A theory is an explanation;
good theories explain most or all of the known evidence, provide testable hypotheses,
are guided by natural law, and are falsifiable. Evolution is supported by abundant, conver-
ging evidence, and guides new predictions. It is a superior theory, the singular theory that
unites all of science.
8. Evidence for Human Evolution Has Turned out to Be Fake, Fraudulent, or Fanciful
Some “evidence” produced by scientists has indeed turned out to be fake. Piltdown Man,
offered by Charles Dawson and Arthur Smith Woodward in England, is an example of a fake.
Honest scientists also make mistakes in research, like the case of Nebraska Man. But fakes
do not define all of science, and mistakes usually turn out to be useful in the progression
of science. Science as a method is designed intentionally to stop fakes and frauds and to
minimize mistakes. Scientific evidence is subject to peer-review and the greatest scrutiny.
Mistakes often lead to new directions and discoveries, and a few fakes do not undermine
4
4 Human Evolution
the totality of evidence supporting evolution. To claim that one part or one piece invali-
dates an entire body of evidence is a poor argument tactic called the part-whole fallacy.
This physical law applies to closed, isolated systems. The Earth is an open system, with
constant energy provided by the sun. The Second Law of Thermodynamics does not apply
to life existing and evolving on Earth, nor to many other processes on Earth.
Morality is observed across the animal kingdom. We see love, attachment bonds, relation-
ships, and altruism happening among animals. For example, mothers across species care
for their children, show obvious affection toward them, help them in time of need, and
show great distress when they are missing or injured. Pair bonding of mates across a life-
time is also common. As social species, primates, including humans, show great respect
for social processes such as reciprocity, cooperation, and sharing with others. Evidence of
caretaking and kinship bonds is abundant in the fossil record of hominid groups. Morality
enhances ability of a species to survive because it enhances group bonds, which aids indi-
vidual survival and reproduction. Evolution can and does account for moral behavior in
humans and other animals.
Human Evolution 5
6 Human Evolution
as well. These molecular, chemical, and cellular similarities would not exist if all of life was not
interrelated, if all of life did not come from the same early simple life forms. The fact that this
biochemistry and cellular function is identical across all life forms is very strong evidence of
common ancestry.
A second main premise underlying the process of evolution is that of natural selection, the
process by which the natural environment “selects” some species members for survival and
reproduction because they possess qualities that are particularly well-suited for that environ-
ment. There are four basic elements of the process of natural selection. First is the central idea
of variation, the fact that individual organisms within each species vary widely in their individual
characteristics. For example, the Galapagos finches: within one species many varieties of bird
features existed, including very different shapes of beak. Human beings modernly vary widely
in their features, including height, eye color, skin color, hair type, body type, diseases, and many
other genetic qualities. All species vary widely in their traits and qualities. If all members of a
species were alike, one disease or illness could wipe out the entire species at once. To enhance
survival, to support unstoppable life, species vary widely across many different characteristics.
A second essential element of natural selection is the struggle for existence. It’s not easy
being a zebra, or a fox, or a salmon, or an eagle. The world is dangerous, full of predators and
hazards, and staying alive is not easy. Human beings, although we have altered our world so
much for safety and to preserve life, face literally lethal dangers on a daily basis. It is not easy
to survive. Who among a species is most likely to survive? This is the third element of natural
selection, survival of the fittest. Among any species, there will be individual members who will
possess characteristics that are especially well-suited to survival in a particular environment.
A finch with a long pointy beak is better able to survive on an island where flowers provide a main
source of food, nectar. A finch of the same species with a short beak may not survive very long on
that particular island. Over time, as the fittest live longer and have more offspring, their adaptive
characteristics become more numerous within the species. This is the fourth essential element
of natural selection, adaptation. An adaptation is any characteristic that enhances the ability of
a species to survive in a particular environment. As the characteristic enhances survival, it also
enhances ability to reproduce, resulting in more species members having adaptive qualities, and
those species members without those qualities not surviving, not reproducing. As such, nature
“selects” for survival those individual species members that possess particularly adaptive char-
acteristics. Over millions of years, within a changing planet, ecosystem, and immediate envir-
onment, the result is many changes in life forms, eventual divergence of species, and a planet
covered in different creatures that are adapted for survival in their environment (see Figure 1.1).
As indicated earlier, there is an abundance of evidence supporting the common ancestry
of life on Earth. First, biogeography, as studied by Darwin himself, supports common ancestry.
Biogeography is the study of plant and animal life as it varies in different environments all over
the world. Dolphins, sharks, squid, and other marine life obviously possess characteristics that
enable them to survive in the ocean. No one would argue that a dolphin could survive in a desert
or a forest. Creatures all over the world possess qualities that enable them to survive in their
particular environment; if the environment changes dramatically and suddenly, the species will
be wiped out. Darwin made the particular observation of the Patagonian hare, a rodent living in
the grasslands of South America (which had no rabbits during Darwin’s time). The hare is quite
similar in many features to rabbits in England, except it is much bigger and is a completely differ-
ent species. Darwin concluded that these completely distinct species, living thousands of miles
7
Human Evolution 7
apart, have similar features because both the hare and the English rabbit live in similar grassland
environments.
Fossil evidence also supports common ancestry and evolution of life on our planet. A fossil is
any remains of past life: bones, shells, pottery, tools, footprints, etc. Scientists date fossils based
on various chemical tests and where they are found in the geologic column. Many extinct spe-
cies and intermediate forms are present in the fossil record. The ancient horse is different from
the modern horse and fossil evidence (dated to a theory-predicted date within the geologic col-
umn) clearly shows this. Earlier, more primitive versions of many species are present in the fossil
record. Evidence of human evolution is also present in the fossil record, including clear changes
in physical characteristics over time.
Anatomical evidence also supports common ancestry. Many body structures and processes
are similar across species; the structures are homologous. A widely used example is the forelimb
of vertebrate species, which has the same number of bones arranged in highly similar manner
across species (i.e., a bat wing is like a dolphin fin is like a bird wing is like a horse’s front leg is like
the human arm; see Figure 1.2). Fetal development in mammals also follows a similar progression
and morphology across species, as does sexual reproduction across even more species. There is
no particular reason for this similarity; the similarity itself does not enhance survival of species.
Rather, the similarity exists because all of these creatures are descended from the same earlier,
simpler forms. These early structures were modified by natural selection over long periods of
time into their current forms across many species. Animals of all kinds are anatomically and bio-
logically similar because we are all interrelated.
Finally, modern biochemical evidence, unavailable to Darwin in his scholarly work, also sup-
ports common descent. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) exists in every cell of all living things and
composes the genetic code. Genes determine the production of proteins at the cellular level,
which in turn determines how different creatures look and function (we will talk much more
8 Human Evolution
about cells and genes in the next chapters). It is clear from research in genetics that all creatures
have very similar genetic codes, with closely related species being more similar genetically than
species less closely related. For example, human beings share about 50% of the same genes
with bananas, but nearly 99% of the same genes with chimpanzees. In fact, genetically humans
and chimpanzees are nearly identical, except chimps have 48 chromosomes (24 pairs), while
humans have 46 chromosomes (with 23 pairs). The major difference is that human beings have
one chromosome 2, which appears to be a fused version of two separate chromosomes pos-
sessed by chimps, generally called 2A and 2B (Yunis & Prakash, 1982).
Major genetic differences between humans and chimps relate to body hair, skeletal structure,
and structure of the larynx and mouth (structures relating to speech). This genetic similarity
is actually unnecessary for life to occur. Life on Earth would be supportable with other genetic
codes. The genetic similarity of all life on Earth is very strong evidence of our common ancestry.
Human Evolution 9
creatures. Humans are most closely related to chimpanzees and bonobos, a bit less to gorillas, a
bit less to orangutans, and even less to monkeys.
Primates have several characteristics that make them unique in relation to other mammals,
qualities that are particularly adaptive for living in trees. Ancient ancestors of humans originally
lived in trees and we still see qualities well-suited for that in modern humans. First, part of the
greater reliance on vision of primates relates to the importance of depth perception. Primates
perceive depth better than other creatures because their eyes face forward on a flatter face,
with a shorter snout (due to a decreased reliance on smell over time). Depth is important for
judging distances, including from tree limb to tree limb and from tree to the ground. Second,
primates have mobile limbs and grasping hands, important for moving about, swinging, climbing,
and gripping tree limbs. Our hands are very sensitive and powerful, with shorter claws better and
sensitive fingertips highly adaptive for gripping and climbing. Primates also have large complex
brains, larger than most other mammals. Such brains are important for living in groups, for com-
munication, for movement and balance, and for processing spatial information retrieved from
larger vision areas. A hallmark of human evolution is a trend toward a larger and larger brain,
especially growth in the frontal lobe areas of the brain, which are important for planning, learn-
ing, consciousness and identity, and empathy. Finally, primates have a reduced reproductive rate
relative to other mammals, having usually only one baby at a time. Having a baby is difficult,
but if you’re living in a tree, it can be more difficult and one needs to be able to carry a baby all
the time. Having multiple babies while living in a tree is dangerous and makes one (and babies)
vulnerable to falls, predators, and other mishaps. Having fewer offspring at a time is essential for
successful life in the trees.
Along the path of human evolution, various hominid (meaning “man-like”) species have been
discovered in the fossil record (see Figures 1.3 and 1.4). The most obvious changes that occur over
long periods of human evolution involve brain size (and thus skull size and shape), changes in
brain structures (growth in some structures but not in others, as evidenced by changes in skull
shape), changes in body hair (because the human cooling system relies on perspiration much
more so than other animals), and changes in the facial structures (including the teeth as our diets
became more varied and we began cooking food). All of these changes are actually the result of
the most important change affecting how we evolved: the trend toward and eventual reliance on
bipedalism, walking upright on two feet.
Dramatic climatic changes in Africa during early human evolution would have resulted in
many fewer trees, with forests becoming grasslands over time. This change in the environment
requires more time on the ground, looking for food and traveling from tree to tree. As our early
ancestors spent more time on two feet, there were many advantages to be had: two free hands
(no longer used for movement), being able to view an entire surrounding landscape, and a fast
efficient gait and eventual run. As we began running, not just in sprints but over long distances,
a sophisticated and unique cooling system developed, involving less body hair allowing cooling
of more of the body with watery sweat from eccrine sweat glands (versus panting and oily apo-
crine sweat glands among other mammals). The nose is also large and longer on a flatter face,
better for our cooling system. Freedom of the hands allows carrying and use of tools to a better
degree, resulting in brain growth over time as intelligence and planning become more important
for survival. Planning also involves the frontal lobe areas of the brain, structures rather unique
to human beings. As we evolved we communicated better, also linked with brain growth over
time, especially in language areas of the brain. Communication evolved with changes in mouth
10
10 Human Evolution
structure and tongue size, strength, and flexibility. Bipedalism is the main force behind all of
these gradual, cumulative changes.
Human Evolution 11
4 feet tall and only weighing about 70–80 pounds. She had a small brain (about 400cc), but her
skeletal structure indicates she was indeed bipedal. Additional evidence of bipedalism is found in
footprints found in a lava bed dated to around the same time as Afarensis, about 3.8 MYA, with
footprints from three individuals walking on two feet, side by side.
Afarensis is the ancestor of later Australopithecine groups, including Australopithecus
Africanus. Africanus is about the same size as Lucy, but more recent in our history, dated to
around 2.8 to 2.5 MYA. Africanus also lived in groups, but spent more time on the ground than
Afarensis. About the same size, the brain is slightly bigger, between 440 and 500cc. The first
discovery of Africanus was in a place called Taung in South Africa, in 1924 by Professor Raymond
Dart, who found a small child’s skull. For these reasons, Africanus is sometimes called “Taung
Child.” Africanus used rudimentary tools, such as using unfashioned rocks to break open animal
bones to retrieve the rich, nutritious marrow inside. The Taung Child is thought to have been
killed at about age 3 years by an eagle, because of the talon markings found inside the eye sock-
ets (see Figure 1.5).
Although many early hominid groups, and other primates today, use rudimentary tools in
obtaining food (e.g., chimpanzees use sticks to get bugs out of their nests), a most important leap
in human evolution took place when we got smart enough to actually make tools (i.e., change
a rock or a stick into something else that is useful). The first example of tool making in human
evolution is the creation of the hand axe, or working on, shaping, and sharpening a rock so that
it is more effective as a tool. The first groups identified with the genus Homo have three main
12 Human Evolution
features: 1) brain size is larger than 600cc; 2) jaw and teeth are similar to modern human teeth;
and 3) tool making is evident.
Many different Homo groups existed simultaneously at different times over the millions of
years of human evolution. Modern humans are not descended from all of them; many of them
died out, became extinct, and their lines went no further. Homo groups are characterized by liv-
ing in large groups, fending off many predators, sometimes changing immediate environments
to find additional food sources. Early Homo groups generally showed very broad subsistence
patterns. Definitely omnivorous, they would eat pretty much anything, including meat, plants,
eggs, insects, fruit, honey, and roots. These broad subsistence patterns are definitely adaptive
across environments, especially in instances of drought. Living in groups is also adaptive, as it
maximizes safety against predators, effective hunting, and likelihood of finding a willing mate.
Group living also allows caretaking of the sick, elderly, and children.
The hand axe is the hallmark of Homo Habilus, literally the “Handy Man.” The first discovery
of Habilus was by the famous married team Louis and Mary Leakey, in the 1960s in Kenya. Habilus
shows the increases in brain growth characteristic of human evolution, with a much larger brain
than Australopithecines (up to about 775cc). Standing between 4 and 5 feet tall, Habilus likely
weighed about 80 pounds. The shape of Homo Habilus’ skull suggests larger speech areas in the
brain, with language communication increasing along with brain size and creation of tools. Homo
Habilus remains have been found along with remains of very large campsites, suggesting Habilus
lived in large groups where communication would be essential for effective functioning of the
group. Evidence also indicates that Habilus was likely not an active hunter, but that meat was
obtained largely through scavenging. The broad subsistence patterns of Habilus allowed them to
survive without hunting.
One of the most successful Homo groups to ever exist, existing far longer than modern
humans, is Homo Erectus (“upright man”), fossils of which have been found all over Africa,
Asia, and Europe, dating to about 2 MYA to 300,000 years ago (see Figure 1.6). The first dis-
covery of Erectus was called Java Man, as he was discovered on the island of Java, by Eugene
DuBois in 1891. The brain size of Erectus is much bigger than that of Habilus, nearly 1000cc, with
a rounder, flatter forehead, and a much more human-like face and appearance. Body hair is also
much less than in previous species, with more eccrine sweat glands and a longer nose for cool-
ing, and Erectus is more like modern humans in terms of height (5–6 feet tall, with males taller
than females), and in terms of communication, which is increased. The whites of the eyes have
become more and more visible among Homo groups, because the eyes are so important for
accuracy of emotional expression and communication. Homo Erectus was clearly a hunter, using
more sophisticated compound tools including spears and knives, and hunting in large groups.
Homo Erectus is thought to have been the first species to have captured fire, a major achieve-
ment that changed the lives of early groups, allowing cooking, warmth, a source of light in the
night (and a reason to stay up late and tell stories). Highly successful, Homo Erectus migrated
from Africa to Europe and to Asia. Various groups are descended just from Homo Erectus, includ-
ing Homo Heidelbergensis and Homo Neanderthalensis. Heidelbergensis is an early form of us,
Homo Sapiens (“Thinking Man”); Neanderthalensis is a close cousin, but not a direct ancestor
of modern humans.
Fossil finds in Europe and Africa are evidence of Heidelbergensis, so named because he was
first documented when found in Heidelberg, Germany in 1907. Heidelbergensis is dated to around
700,000 to 200,000 years ago. Scholars assert that the skulls of this group are rather an inter-
mediate form of Erectus and Sapiens, less primitive than Erectus with an increasingly rounded
13
Human Evolution 13
and large forehead. This frontal lobe development would support planning, creativity, and com-
munication, superior compared to other animals. Communication is particularly advanced com-
pared to other earlier Homo groups. The teeth also show support for an intermediate form (see
“Critical Thinking”), a form in between Erectus and Sapiens, which would not only support greater
oral communication but also continuously growing variety in diet, especially with availability of
fire and cooking. Heidelbergensis were nomadic, traveling long distances depending on season
and herds of large animals they followed, including woolly mammoths. Although many groups did
migrate to Europe, some stayed in Africa. Scholars today argue that Heidelbergensis evolved into
two separate but related groups, Homo Neanderthalensis in Europe, and Homo Sapiens in Africa,
with the two regions undergoing very different climatic changes (Ice Age in Europe, drought
in Africa).
Perhaps the most fascinating group of early Homo are Neanderthals, so called because they
were found in the Neander Valley in Germany, in 1856 (although they were first found in Belgium
in 1829). Despite common ideas, Homo Sapiens is not directly descended from Neanderthal Man;
they are a distinct species (Hublin, 2009). Neanderthal evolved from Homo Heidelbergensis in
14
14 Human Evolution
Europe around 400,000 years ago, and survived, co-existing with Homo Sapiens, until around
30,000 years ago (Pinhasi, Higham, Golovanova, & Doronichev, 2011). The Neanderthals looked
like the typical image of the cave person; shorter than modern humans (5.5 feet on average),
but rather large (180 pounds) and very muscular, with shorter limbs. Neanderthals had a large
head and brain (1450cc) but a smaller frontal lobe compared to humans. Archaeological evidence
indicates that they lived in groups, including structures built for homes. They most certainly cre-
ated tools and hunted and used fire. They buried their dead with gifts and artifacts, suggesting
complex social relationships and close family bonds. Like other groups of human ancestors, like
other animals on Earth, Neanderthals loved each other.
Science did not realize that Neanderthal Man was not a direct ancestor of human beings
until the 1990s, when with modern technology geneticists discovered that Neanderthal genes
were not in fact human. While Neanderthals and humans are 99.8% genetically similar, some
genes are turned on in Neanderthals but not in humans, and vice versa, mainly genes affect-
ing brain function and the shape and length of arms, hands, and legs (Gokhman et al., 2014).
Additional genetics research indicates that among modern human beings alive today, about
9% possess genes shared with Neanderthals, with about 1–4% of genes being shared. Clearly,
Neanderthal and Homo Sapiens were interbreeding and producing offspring. Interestingly,
humans and Neanderthal do not share mitochondrial DNA, DNA that is present within the mito-
chondria (engines) of every human body cell that is inherited always from one’s mother. Because
of this, scholars suggest that matings between female humans and male Neanderthals produced
viable offspring, while matings between female Neanderthals and male humans apparently did
not. Humans with Neanderthal genes are exclusively non-African, of European or Asian des-
cent; the ancient humans in Africa did not interbreed with Neanderthals because there were no
Neanderthal neighbors in Africa.
In close competition with Neanderthals for most fascinating early humans are Homo
Floresiensis, nicknamed “The Hobbit,” who was first discovered in 2003; and Homo Sapiens
Denisovans, first discovered in 2010. Homo Floresiensis existed at the same time as Homo
Sapiens and Neanderthalensis, about 200,000 to 50,000 years ago, but only on the small island
of Flores in Indonesia. Apparently this group had become isolated on the island, and over time
had evolved into a unique species. Speciation often involves this kind of geographic isolation,
with traits adaptive to the specific environment becoming more frequent in successive genera-
tions, eventually resulting in a new species. Living on this tiny island resulted in tiny people, only
about 3 feet, 6 inches tall, about 65 pounds, with a small brain (450cc), large teeth, and large
feet. They created tools, hunted live prey, and used fire.
Homo Sapiens Denisovans, a subspecies of human, also existed at the same time as Homo
Sapiens and Neanderthalensis, but their fossil remains have only yet been found in the Denisova
caves in Siberia. Scholars argue that their origins are the same as Neanderthals, and that they
also interbred with ancestors of modern humans. Like all advanced Homo groups, the Denisovans
lived in groups and used tools. People alive today who are of Melanesian or Aboriginal Australian
descent possess some Denisovan genes (about 3 to 5%) (Gibbons, 2011).
With all of these cousins and ancestors and subspecies, all of them now extinct, where in
the world did we come from? There is ample evidence indicating support for the Out-of-Africa
hypothesis, the idea that modern human beings, Homo Sapiens (sometimes called Homo
Sapiens Sapiens), evolved as a separate species within Africa around 150,000 to 200,000 years
ago, and then migrated all over to populate the planet, beginning around 80,000 years ago.
Groups of Homo Heidelbergensis that stayed in Africa are currently thought to be our most direct
15
Human Evolution 15
ancestor. Homo Sapiens has long arms and legs, and a large brain (1360cc), with a particularly
large frontal lobe for thinking, planning, experiencing consciousness, and forming identity and
empathy. The skull is unique; it is called “high-vaulted” (Puiu, 2020), with a nearly vertical and
wide forehead. It is relatively thin compared to earlier hominid skulls. Brow ridges are very small
compared to prior species, as are teeth and jaws, so modern humans have less of the caveman
look. Although height and weight clearly vary depending on genes, living conditions, childhood
well-being, food supplies and so on, among North Americans today, the average man is 5 feet,
9 inches tall, weighing 172 pounds, while the average woman is 5 feet, 4 inches tall, weighing 137
pounds. Men are about 15–20% larger than women and much stronger, on average. Men possess
50–80% greater upper body strength and 30–60% greater lower body strength than women
(Lassek & Gaulin, 2009). I mention these size and strength differences now because they are
important and meaningful for understanding nearly everything else in this book. As we move for-
ward, ask yourself this question every time you hear about some way in which men and women
are different: how do size and strength differences come into play here? This is certainly not the
only question you should ask, but it is an important one.
16 Human Evolution
digits, and ears will be rounder and more compact, to conserve body heat, whereas in warmer
climates, they will be longer, to allow greater surface-to-air ratio and greater cooling of the body
through the skin. Bergmann’s Rule (Bergmann, 1847) is similar but applies to body size, with
humans being generally larger overall in colder climates, smaller and leaner overall in warmer
climates, with larger, more compact bodies having lower surface-to-air ratios, again so that body
heat is preserved.
Human beings vary in many other respects, because variation within species is so important
for survival. Modern variations that are said to be recent evolutionary changes include lactose
tolerance and eye color. Among nearly all mammals, the capacity to digest lactose, a sugar found
in milk, turns off when offspring are no longer in infancy, because the animals are no longer
dependent on mother for food (Swallow, 2003). Human beings are believed to be the only mam-
mal with the ability to digest lactose after early childhood. Lactose persistence is genetic; it var-
ies widely, with very high proportions of people descended from Northern and Western Europe
being able to digest lactose well, and lower proportions among people in Asia and much of Africa
(Bersaglieri et al., 2004; Gerbault et al., 2011). The gene for lactose tolerance is recently evolved,
estimated to have occurred first around 10,000 years ago (Bersaglieri et al., 2004), coincidentally
around the time when people started keeping animals for food. Another recent genetic change,
caused by a genetic mutation in one single person, led to blue eyes, and is thought to have
occurred between 6,000 and 10,000 years ago (Eiberg et al., 2008). That person is the relative of
every blue-eyed person who has ever lived and who will ever live on Earth.
• This textbook discusses evolution, a controversial theory some scientists present as a scien-
tific explanation for the origin of living things, such as plants, animals and humans. No one
was present when life first appeared on earth, therefore, any statement about life’s origins
should be considered as theory, not fact.
Please note the appeal to ignorance used in this official government statement (see “Critical
Thinking”). Indeed, the current Vice President of the United States, Mike Pence, referred to evo-
lution as “just a theory” in a speech to Congress in 2002, at the same time asserting that cre-
ationism should be taught in every high school biology course. The United States Department
of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is in favor of teaching “intelligent design” (another term
for creationism) in public schools (Waldman, 2017). Let’s be clear on this issue: there is no evi-
dence supporting creationism. First, the Biblical account, taken literally, that the Earth and life
on it were created in six days, is not naturally possible. Second, even if the Biblical account is not
taken literally and days are interpreted in millions or billions of years, the account is not true and
does not explain the existing evidence. There is no systematic, scientific evidence supporting any
17
Human Evolution 17
creator of the universe or the Earth. Human beings did not arise from dust and bones. We know
that human beings and all of life on Earth evolved over time based on the abundant and clear
evidence from every branch of science supporting that fact. To deny the observed evidence, to
deny our senses in pursuit of a false idea, is unreasonable and not at all adaptive.
In addition to being false, teaching creationism is harmful, because it encourages ignorance
of evidence, and modernly, a mistrust and dismissal of science (Pew Research Center, 2015).
Conservative and religious thinking are also linked with negative attitudes toward higher edu-
cation (Brown, 2018). In 1984, the U.S. Committee on Science and Creationism concluded that
teaching creation science is anathema to the need for a “scientifically literate citizenry” and a
large pool of technically and scientifically qualified workers. Science is a method for discerning
truth about the natural world. It uses empirical, systematic observation, precise measurements
and analyses, and peer review. The fruits of science are all around us and benefit humankind
greatly on a daily basis. Yes, sometimes people misuse science; they fake the evidence somehow
(see “Critical Thinking”). But science is not the culprit here, the person using the science is.
Science as a method for discovering truth is superior because it works. As a student in this kind
of course, you are here to study what science says about women and men on our planet today,
how they are similar and how they are different, and why that variation exists.
Chapter Summary
Abundant evidence indicates that life on our planet evolved over billions of years from earlier,
simpler forms. Common descent from earlier forms is supported by biogeography, anatomical
evidence, the fossil record, and genetic evidence. Natural selection is the process by which life
evolved, with individual organisms possessing characteristics enhancing survival better able to
reproduce and pass along such adaptive qualities. Human beings began to evolve about 7 million
years ago, when there was a lineage split between apes and humans. Human beings evolved from
Australopithecine creatures who were very ape-like and lived in trees, across various groups of
early “man-like” creatures in the same genus called Homo. Bipedalism was particularly important
in our evolution, enabling the use of hands which then accelerated brain growth, which accel-
erated development of planning, intelligence, and language. Various species co-existed with
early Homo Sapiens, including different (and now extinct) species, Homo Floresiensis and Homo
Neanderthalensis. Modern variations in our species include skin color, body shape, eye color, and
lactose persistence. Although controversial mainly because it conflicts with religious accounts of
life on our planet, evolution is the best explanation for the origins of life on our planet because it
is supported by abundant evidence from nearly every branch of science.
Thoughtful Questions
• Explain how a decrease in the number of trees in Africa millions of years ago affected
human evolution.
• Describe the physical qualities shared by primates that are adaptations for living
in trees.
• Imagine a distant planet, very far from Earth, that is populated by two groups, the
Biggies and the Littles. The Biggies are taller and much stronger than the Littles. They
18
18 Human Evolution
are similar in intelligence. Describe how society might be structured on this planet.
Who’s in charge?
• How might sex differences in physical size and strength affect daily tasks and respon-
sibilities of individuals in early Homo groups?
• Imagine that women and men were on average the same size, with on average the
same physical strength. How do you think the world would be different?
• Describe three early hominid groups.
• How do the examples of human evolution presented here show intermediate forms?
• Why have blue eyes spread so rapidly across the human population, having only
occurred as a genetic mutation about 6,000 to 10,000 years ago?
• Explain how lactose persistence is adaptive using evolutionary theory.
Glossary
Adaptation: any characteristic that enhances the ability of a species to survive in a particular
environment. A basic dimension of natural selection.
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP): a small molecule (a nucleotide) that supports energy transfer
and metabolism at the cellular level. A biochemical necessary for life that is present in all living
things.
Allen’s Rule: warm-blooded species will vary in the shape of ears and appendages depending
on the climate of their environment (rounder, more compact in colder climates; longer and
leaner in warmer climates).
Bergmann’s Rule: warm-blooded species will be larger overall in colder climates, smaller
overall in warmer climates, with larger, more compact bodies having lower surface-to-air ratios,
so that body heat is preserved.
Biogeography: the study of plant and animal life as it varies in different environments all over
the world.
Common descent: a central premise of evolutionary theory, that all life on the planet evolved
over time from earlier simpler forms.
Creationism: the religious idea that a deity created the universe, the Earth, and all life on Earth
through magical processes.
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA): a protein structure that exists in every cell of all living things
and composes the genetic code. DNA composes genes, which are present on chromosomes in
the nuclei of cells.
Evolution: the process by which all life forms came to be on our planet, evolving from earlier,
simpler forms through the process of natural selection.
Evolutionary theory: the scientific explanation that life on our planet evolved over millions and
millions of years from earlier, simpler forms. Evolutionary theory is supported by evidence in
every branch of science and is accepted as fact by the vast majority of scientists.
Fossil: any remains of past life (bones, teeth, shells, tools, footprints, etc.).
Homo: in Latin, “man”; the genus of human beings (Homo Sapiens) and many other now
extinct groups. Three criteria for the genus are a large brain, small teeth and jaws, and tool making.
19
Human Evolution 19
Homologous forms: many body structures and processes are similar across species; the forms
are the same. Homologous forms are evidence of common descent.
Lactose persistence: a genetic trait involving ability to digest lactose (milk sugar) with ease.
Melanin: a protein substance that produces pigment in the body, particularly skin color.
Morality: ideas about right and wrong. Moral behavior involves doing the right thing for the
greatest well-being of all, even with self-sacrifice.
Mutations: random changes in genetic material that lead to variations in phenotype (see
Chapter 3).
Natural selection: the process by which the natural environment “selects” some species
members for survival and reproduction because they possess qualities that are particularly
well-suited for that environment.
Open system: a system where energy is expended and acquired from the environment. Earth is
an open system, with constant energy provided by the sun.
Out-of-Africa hypothesis: the idea that Homo Sapiens evolved only in Africa, then migrated to
populate the Earth.
Pair bonding: development of a strong emotional bond between sexual mates. Occurs across
species, including primates.
Part-whole fallacy: the poor argument tactic that if one part or one piece of a group or body is
fake or bad, then the whole group or body is fake or bad.
Primates: various mammalian species characterized by qualities evolved for living in trees.
Includes the great apes (humans, gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans), monkeys, tarsiers, lemurs,
and many other species.
Punctuated equilibrium: evolution of species involves long periods of stability followed by
sudden periods of rapid change, usually caused by sudden changes in the living environment or
mutations.
Reciprocity: the norm of giving and receiving. Receiving from others typically entails giving
back to them in some form at some time.
Ribonucleic acid (RNA): a nucleic acid that is essential for protein production at the cellular
level; RNA carries genetic instructions provided by DNA in the cell nucleus.
Straw person: a poor argument tactic whereby a solid argument is labeled as something easily
knocked down (like a straw person) or easily dismissed (“only” a theory).
Struggle for existence: the fact that life is difficult; existence is a struggle for all species on
the planet and always has been. A basic dimension of natural selection.
Survival of the fittest: the fact that those species members who possess the most adaptive
characteristics for living in a particular environment will survive and reproduce in that
environment. Those members who do not possess adaptive qualities will not survive, and thus
will not reproduce or will reproduce less. A basic dimension of natural selection.
Theory: an explanation. Good theories explain most or all of the known evidence, provide
testable hypotheses, are guided by natural law, and are falsifiable.
Variation: all species show variability in physical and behavioral traits and abilities. Variation
within species is essential for species survival. A basic dimension of natural selection.
20
20 Human Evolution
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21
The Human Body: Cells and Their Basic Structure and Function 23
Organelles, Chromosomes, Genes, DNA 23
Mitosis and Meiosis 25
Meiosis and Variability 27
Autosomes and Sex Chromosomes 29
Problems in Meiosis 29
In modern times, physical strength is less important for daily survival and occupational
success, yet old traditions favoring boys over girls persist. This chapter highlights the cel-
lular underpinnings of biological sex, natural, rather simple, common, predictable cellular
processes that have very meaningful implications for survival and success.
LEARN MORE
CRITICAL THINKING
BONUS BOX
The Human Body: Cells and Their Basic Structure and Function
The human body is composed of over 37 trillion cells, all of which are alive and contributing
something to our bodies. Some cells die and replace themselves; other cells die and are not
replaced. New cells are created when children grow and when wounds heal. Different cells have
different and various functions. Muscle cells enable movement; brain cells enable thoughts, con-
sciousness, feelings, and commands to other cells. Blood cells carry oxygen and nutrients to the
other cells in our bodies. Every cell has a particular and specific function, which is usually carried
out based on the production of proteins at the cellular level. Cells produce proteins that sustain
life. Proteins communicate to other cells and allow the body to function (muscles to move, nutri-
ents to be absorbed, hair to grow, hormones to be released). The same is true of the body cells
of other species, which have similar structure and function, evidence of our common ancestry.
Smooth endoplasmic
Peroxisome reticulum
Nuclear pore
Nucleolus
Nucleus
Nucleoplasm
Nuclear
enveolope
Rough endoplasmic
reticulum
Golgi apparatus
Mitochondrion
Genes are inherited from our parents (and in turn from all of our other ancestors as well) and
determine the cellular organization and operation of our bodies. Because the cellular organiza-
tion and operation of our bodies is determined by genes, genes determine many physical and
behavioral traits. For example, blue eyes are produced by cellular production of proteins that is
determined by genes. Brown eyes are determined by different proteins at the cellular level, also
specified by genes. Genes specify the sequence of amino acids to be used in protein production
within each cell. Genes in a sense contain the recipe or instructions for cellular function. Genes
are composed of long strands of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). DNA is a basic nucleotide chain
that is essential to life on our planet, composed of amino acids, sugars, and phosphates.
Although all of our genes (46 chromosomes’ worth, 23 homologous pairs, about 20,000 indi-
vidual genes arrayed across those 46 chromosomes) are present inside every nucleus inside
every one of our body cells, each cell is obviously not operated by all of our genes. Some genes
are turned on within individual cells; those genes tell that cell how to function. Different genes
are active in brain cells than are active in muscle cells than are active in skin cells. Cell differen-
tiation is thus, of course, determined by genes; working as a whole, our genes determine how we
look, grow, develop, age, what diseases we might develop, whether we are susceptible to mental
illness, even our personality traits, and many other qualities and body functions. This is why we
might resemble a parent or other relative, because we possess the same genes they do for those
qualities. We will talk much more about genes and inheritance in our next chapter (Chapter 3,
Genetics).
25
is cytokinesis, the division of the cytoplasm and organelles. The cell membrane forms a cleav-
age furrow in the middle of the cell to separate the two new cells. At the end of mitosis, there are
two identical cells, each having formed from one original parent cell. This is how cell replication
occurs, and it occurs millions of times in a lifetime, whenever new cells are needed (see “Learn
More”) (see Figure 2.2).
Meiosis is a very similar but altogether different process that is mainly concerned with what
might happen during adulthood, reproduction. Your entire life, your body has been prepar-
ing itself to reproduce, to produce offspring. The follicles of eggs within each girl and woman
begin forming in utero, when she is in the uterus of her mother. Viable sperm are produced at
the very beginnings of puberty in boys. Meiosis is a type of cell division that is called reduc-
tion division; it does not involve production of identical cells with 46 chromosomes each, but
rather begins with a 2n parent cell and results in four daughter cells with the haploid number
of chromosomes, 23 (aka 1n or just n). Human chromosomes are organized into 23 homologous
pairs, with the paired chromosomes similar in length, number of genes, and gene location, but
they are not identical to each other. One is inherited from each parent. Meiosis essentially
separates the 23 pairs, so that one pair member ends up in each daughter cell. The daugh-
ter cells are not genetically identical; each is unique. Meiosis only occurs in the production
of gametes, sex cells that combine to produce offspring in sexual reproduction. Gametes are
produced within the gonads, ovaries in women and testes (aka testicles) in men. Gametes are
commonly called eggs and sperm. Because each sperm and each egg contain only 23 chromo-
somes, their combination results in a cell that contains 46 chromosomes, 23 inherited from
the egg (one’s mother) and 23 inherited from the sperm (one’s father). So that each parent is
equally represented in the offspring, each gamete contains exactly half of the species’ genetic
code (although see Bonus Box!).
The cell division in meiosis occurs in the same manner as in mitosis, with some exceptions.
Because meiosis begins with one parent cell and results in four, very different and not genetically
identical daughter cells, meiosis requires two cellular divisions, formally called Meiosis I and
Meiosis II (see Figure 2.3). As in the beginning of mitosis, in Meiosis I the organelles of the parent
cell (which is 2n) duplicate themselves, including each of the 46 chromosomes. Each chromo-
some has duplicated itself, so now each of the 23 homologous pairs is composed of a pair of sister
chromatids, bound together at the centromere. At the beginning of Meiosis I, the homologous
pair members line up next to each other, forming what is called a tetrad (meaning four, with each
pair member now duplicated).
27
Daughter
Nuclei II
Daughter
Nuclei
Interphase Meiosis I
Meiosis II
Homologous
Chromosomes
The alignment of the homologous pair members is called synapsis, and it occurs from a pro-
cess that scientists still do not completely understand. During synapsis, the nonsister chromatids
touch each other and seem to embrace; during this process of crossing over, the chromatids
exchange genetic information (see Figure 2.4). For example, pair 1 has two members, A and B. A and
B duplicate themselves before synapsis, so there are now two identical copies of each (e.g., A1 and
A2, both of which are exact copies). When crossing over occurs, the A copies exchange genetic
information with the B copies (so A1 exchanges with B1 and B2, A2 with both B1 and B2 as well per-
haps). In this way, entirely new chromosomes are formed, chromosomes that now contain genes
from both parents together (A1 and A2 are now no longer identical). In other words, a grandchild
may inherit a chromosome made up of genes inherited from both his maternal grandmother and
grandfather; or a chromosome containing genes from both his paternal grandmother and grand-
father. This unique chromosome has never ever existed before, combining the genetic information
of two people. Crossing over doesn’t always happen, but it happens a lot.
After crossing over occurs, the still doubled homologous pair members are separated from each
other, with 23 still doubled (but no longer exact duplicates) chromosomes pulled to each pole of the
dividing cell. Meiosis I results in two daughter cells, each containing one member of each of the 46
homologous pairs, with each member still doubled. The daughter cells are not genetically identical;
each only has one pair member (that is now likely different from crossing over), and there is no
determination of which pair member ends up in each daughter cell. In Meiosis II, both of the new
daughter cells divide, with one sister chromatid from each doubled chromosome going into each
resulting cell. This second division results in four genetically unique daughter cells (eggs or sperm),
ready to combine with the other gamete to create a totally genetically unique human being.
Homologous
chromosomes Chromosome
aligned crossover
A A a a A a
B B b b B b
C C c c C c
Recombinant
chromosomes
A A a a
B B b b
C c C c
Nonrecombinant
chromosomes
of any species; variations in size, shape, color, texture, and many other qualities. Remember, if
every member of a species was genetically identical, one virus could kill the entire species very
quickly. Variability means that some members may be susceptible to the virus, while some are
not; that some have a good immune system to fight it, while others may not. Meiosis in people is
one reason behind our great genetic variability.
There are three ways that each new individual, each human baby born, is assured a different
combination of genes than either parent has. First, crossing over recombines genes on sister
chromatids during Meiosis I, resulting in new combinations of genes, from genetically unre-
lated people (e.g., maternal grandmother and grandfather), that may have literally never existed
before. Second, also during Meiosis I, there is no determination of which pair member from the
23 pairs ends up in which daughter cell. Imagine that for each chromosome pair, you have mem-
ber A and B, across all 23 pairs, so there is A1 and B1, A2 and B2, and so on, all the way to the
last pair, A23 and B23. Any of the pair members can be combined with any combination of all
the other pair members. In other words, there is no systematic way that the As and the Bs
29
Problems in Meiosis
Sometimes meiosis does not proceed as it usually does, resulting in four genetically unique
daughter cells, each with 23 chromosomes (one member of each pair). Problems in meiosis can
occur during Meiosis I or during Meiosis II, a problem called nondisjunction (failure of chromo-
somes to separate). When nondisjunction occurs in Meiosis I, the homologous pair members fail
to separate, so that both (in the form of sister chromatids) end up in one daughter cell. When
Meiosis II occurs in that daughter cell which has both pair members (still in the form of sister
chromatids), the two daughter cells that result have two copies of the same chromosome. With
30
Meiosis I Meiosis II
n+1
n+1
n–1
Nondisjunction
during meiosis I
n–1
n+1
n–1
Nondisjunction
during meiosis II
n
Figure 2.7 The author’s niece, Sadie Grace, who has Down Syndrome
Source: Author
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Chalcus 7Lepta 0 0 0 011⁄16
Dichalcus 2Chalci 0 0 0 13⁄8
Hemiobolus 2Dichalci 0 0 0 23⁄4
Obolus 2Hemioboli 0 0 1 1½
Diobolus 2Oboli 0 0 2 3
Triobolus 3Oboli 0 0 4 0½
Hemidrachm 3Oboli 0 0 4 0½
Tetrobolus 4Oboli 0 0 5 2
Pentobolus 5Oboli 0 0 6 3½
Drachm 6Oboli 0 0 8
Didrachm 2Drachms 0 1 4 2
Tetradrachm 4Drachms 0 2 9 0
Stater of silver 4Drachms 0 2 9 0
Pentadrachm 5Drachms 0 3 5 1
Stater of gold 25Drachms 0 17 2 1
Stater of Philip 28Drachms 0 19 3 0
Stater of Alexander 28Drachms 0 19 3 0
Stater of Cyzicus 28Drachms 0 19 3 0
Stater of Darius 48Drachms 1 13 0 0
Stater of Crœsus 48Drachms 1 13 0 0
Homerical talent 75Drachms 2 11 6 3
Mina 100Drachms 3 8 9 0
The smaller
Ptolemaic talent 20Minæ 68 15 0 0
The smaller
Antiochan talent 60Minæ 206 5 0 0
The Attic talent 60Minæ 206 5 0 0
The smaller Euboic
talent 60Minæ 206 5 0 0
The great Attic
talent 80Minæ 275 0 0 0
The great Ptolemaic
talent of
Cleopatra 86⅔Minæ 297 18 4 0
The Eginean talent 100Minæ 343 15 0 0
The Rhodian talent 100Minæ 343 15 0 0
The insular talent 120Minæ 412 10 0 0
The great
Antiochan talent 360Minæ 1237 10 0 0
NOTE 209.
NOTE 210.
NOTE 211.
Simo.—He is chained.
Pam.—Ah! dear Sir, that was not well done.
Simo.—I am sure I ordered it to be well done.
S. Vinctus est.
P. Pater non rectè vinctus est.
S. Haud ita jussi.
The jest in this sentence turns on the word rectè, which refers to
an Athenian custom of binding criminals’ hands and feet together.
Simo (A. 5. S. 3. p. 86.) orders Dromo to bind Davus in the manner
before mentioned: (atque audin’? quadrupedem constringito.)
Pamphilus says, non rectè vinctus est: rectè has a double meaning,
it signifies rightly, and also straight. Simo pretends to take it in the
latter sense, which makes his son’s speech run thus, He is not
bound straight or upright: to which Simo replies, I ordered he should
not be bound straight, but crooked, or neck and heels. I trust I have
made the force of this pun clear to the unlearned reader: the turn
given it in the English translation is borrowed from Echard.
NOTE 212.
Pam. (to himself.)—Any one would think, perhaps, that I do not
believe this to be true, but I know it is because I wish it so. I am of
opinion, that the lives of the gods are eternal, because their
pleasures are secure and without end.
“Epicurus observed, that the gods could not but be immortal,
since they are exempt from all kinds of evils, cares, and dangers. But
Terence gives another more refined reason, which more forcibly
expresses the joy of Pamphilus; for he affirms that their immortality
springs only from the durability of their pleasures. This passage is
very beautiful. Pamphilus prefaces what he is going to say by the
expression, “Any one would think, perhaps;” this was in a manner
necessary to excuse the freedom which, arising from his joy, makes
him assign another reason for the immortality of the gods than those
discovered by the philosophers, particularly by Epicurus, whose
name was still fresh in the recollection of every person, and whose
doctrines were very generally received and adopted.” Madame
Dacier.
NOTE 213.
NOTE 214.
NOTE 215.
Do you, Davus, go home, and order some of our people hither, to
remove her to our house. Why do you loiter? go, don’t lose a
moment.
Davus.—I am going. You must not expect their coming out: she will
be betrothed within, &c.
The concluding lines of the play from “You must not expect,” &c.,
were not originally spoken by the actor who personated Davus, but
formed a sort of epilogue, spoken by a performer, called Cantor; who
also pronounced the word Plaudite, with which the comedies and
tragedies of the Romans usually terminated. Vide Note 217, also
Quintilian, B. 6. C. 1., and Cicero and Cato. Horace expressly tells
us, that the Cantor said the words, vos plaudite.
“Tu quid ego, et populus mecum desideret audi.
Si plausoris eges aulæa manentis, et usque
Sessuri, donec Cantor vos plaudite dicat;
Ætatis cujusque notandi sunt tibi mores,
Mobilibusque decor naturis dandus et annis.”
Art of Poet., L. 153.
NOTE 216.
NOTE 217.
NOTE 218.
FINIS.
LONDON:
Printed by W. Clowes, Northumberland-court.
Transcriber’s Note:
Words may have multiple spelling variations or inconsistent
hyphenation in the text. These have been left unchanged unless
indicated below. Obsolete and alternative spellings were left
unchanged.
Note 108 has two footnotes that were lettered sequentially and
were moved to the end of the Note. Missing anchor was added to
Note 50. Obvious printing errors, such as backwards, upside down,
reverse order, or partially printed letters and punctuation, were
corrected. Final stops missing at the end of sentences and
abbreviations were added. Duplicate letters at line endings or page
breaks were removed. Punctuation and accent marks were
normalized.
The following items were changed:
“his” to “this”
“praisng” changed to “praising”
“thing” added to text where not legible in the original, Note 114
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